shutdown

For some reason there is a requirement to do a computer shutdown (not restart) while running a task sequence, and once the computer starts again there is a need to continue running the task sequence where we left it.

How do you go about that? Let’st start…

We need two scripts, a task sequence with the ability to run one script and then to start a task sequence controlled restart.

For testing purposes a networkshare was used instead of leveraging a package, but in real-life and in production – all of the files can be placed in a package and executed from there.
This concept is tested within WinPE (using Winpeutil etc…), but you can most likely adapt it to a Windows installation.

Run Monitor

The ‘Run Monitor’ step will kick off a VB-Script that will start a powershell script – and then exit. Simple enough to start a script, and then allow the task sequence to continue with the next steps

Restart

The restart step is fairly generic and you can configure it as you need. A thing to note is that the time-out needs to be higher than the start-sleep within the Powershell-script. As the purpose is to continue within WinPE – the step is configured to start to the boot-image.

The knack

Dilbert loses "the knack" for technology when he gets management DNA from accidentally drinking from the Boss's cup. His resulting mis-steps send the world back to the Dark Ages.